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Views & Opinion


Not patronising their intelligence is key to creating the creative scholars of the future


Comment by JONNY WALKER, founder of Otherwise Education


Delivering an interesting and engaging curriculum for primary school children can be challenging, but introducing more Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) in primary education is absolutely vital. I believe that the use of creative arts, drama and poetry is a great way to support learning and that these approaches can ensure a broad primary curriculum.


The Historical Association carried out a survey into history teaching in


English primary schools in November 2017 and found that more than half of the teachers surveyed spent less than 30 hours a year teaching the subject at Key Stage 1. That’s 45 minutes or less a week. Right now, there is renewed attention on the curriculum, giving schools


a great opportunity to ensure a challenging, coherent, rich, representative and relevant programme. This is good news as I believe it creates an opportunity for more time to be spent on subjects like history, geography, social study and art, especially in the early years. In my view, subjects covered at primary school shouldn’t be


oversimplified and my experiences show that there is a real hunger to consume knowledge about a broad spectrum of topics, including HASS subjects. There are a number of ways to introduce children to complex ideas, but it takes a creative use of language and a desire not to patronise. A book authored by Elys Dolan is an excellent example of a text which


has achieved this. It’s an award-winning picture book in which young readers go behind the scenes of Mr Bunny's Chocolate Factory. Using creativity and humour it introduces young readers to the concept of trade unionism - not a light-hearted topic. Through this approach children are learning about HASS topics and developing a diverse vocabulary through contingent talk at the same time which boosts literacy. I have been fortunate to work collaboratively on learning projects in the


inner city area of Newham, establishing poetry retreats and facilitating trips for inner city children out of the urban landscape to areas of natural beauty like the New Forest. During my work with schools I have introduced children to the world of


the classics, through the tale of the Trojan War, in Homer's Iliad via poetry, picture books, drama, role-play, painting, sculpture and extracts from translations of the original text. I have seen many children hook into the ancient narrative by exploring philosophical questions of fate, love, wisdom, ego and family. I believe that, just like the children who are learning, schools themselves


shouldn’t be underestimated. Most teachers have an understanding of the importance of a wide curriculum and the curriculum should give them the ability to deliver a wider range of subjects. I firmly believe that a broad curriculum enables children to thrive.


Introducing creative and relevant approaches can be win-win - broadening the curriculum while putting literacy and knowledge at the centre of the approach.


School’s out: what are pupils doing online over the holidays and how can we support parents?


Comment by MARK BENTLEY, LGfL Safeguarding & Cybersecurity Manager


The upcoming Christmas holidays can be a source of anxiety for families. Schools often tell us that parents ask them for advice about children’s online activity during term breaks, especially during the festive season when young people may receive new devices or online games as gifts. Here are some useful tips to share with parents before the end of term:


Start a conversation Parents need to find a way to start an open, honest dialogue with their children to learn about their online realities. In our Hopes and Streams survey of 40,000 pupils across the country


last year, we discovered that 73% of pupils trust parents on online safety but only 56% talk about it more than once a year. Although two in five pupils have never told anyone about the worst thing that’s happened to them online, of those who did, 71% chose to tell a parent or carer. Earlier this year, we asked pupils what they planned to do on their devices during the holidays, and their answers often indicated a lack of communication between children and parents which must be remedied. Emphasise to families that the solution to secretive behaviour isn’t confiscating their devices - this will only make their son or daughter more likely to keep secrets in the future! For parents who find broaching these topics difficult, why not


20 www.education-today.co.uk


recommend the many websites and apps that can spark a discussion? There are apps from Internet Matters and from O2/NSPCC which help start conversations between parents/carers and children, with fun quizzes about online safety for families to answer together. These are really positive ways for Mum and Dad to use technology with the kids!


Beware of headphones It’s vital for children’s carers to hear what they are saying while playing games and, crucially, what’s being said to them. While a total ban on headphones isn’t realistic, parents can partially restrict the use of headphones while kids are gaming to have a better understanding of the exchanges made via video games and live streaming.


Age ratings are there for a reason Many parents view games as harmless fun, regardless of the rating, but remind them what ratings are there for and what they mean. An 18-rated game does not call for a higher skill level; just like with films, they are not age-appropriate, and can even cause long term damage to children. Graphic murder, rape, attacks and nudity are commonplace in some of these games, which are not suitable for many secondary age students, let alone the many primary pupils who also play them. Do parents know what happens in their children’s online activities? There’s an easy way to find out – sit with your children while they are playing, and look at the reviews and ratings. Hopefully these tips will make the holidays a less stressful time for


everyone. It’s important to remind parents that using the Internet doesn’t have to be a negative experience. With so many educational and social benefits, it isn’t the quantity of screen-time that needs to be monitored but rather the quality of children’s digital activities.


uOn 16 December 7 pm, LGfL DigiSafe will broadcast a Facebook Live video for parents with more advice on gifting new devices at Christmas time. Watch it here https://www.facebook.com/lgfldigisafe


November 2019


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